Am I eligible for a placement in France?
To be a Language Assistant in France, you must:
- fulfil the general eligibility criteria
- You must be aged 35 or under on 1 October 2023
- have B1-level French
As well as fulfilling all the general eligibility criteria, please note that our French partners France Education International also require candidates to meet the following:
1. You must demonstrate complete mastery of the English Language
2. You must have undertaken a minimum length of education in the UK - you must have completed one of the following:
- at least two years of an undergraduate degree OR
- a TEFL or CELTA course with at least two years of English Language Teaching OR
- at least one year of study of a Level 5 qualification (or above) through a Further Education institution/TVET college
3. You must have a UK/Irish/EU passport or a passport from one of France Education International’s programme partner countries
Will I need a visa?
Assistants going to France who do not have an EU passport or a French residency permit will have to apply for the following:
- Long Stay Visa (VLS-TS - visa long séjour valant titre de séjour): Assistants will be exempt from the visa fee but a service charge of approximately £40 (GBP) is payable for the process.
- Taxe de Primo-Délivrance: Once in country, assistants will have to pay this tax to work in France and validate their working visa. The cost is €200 (EUR) and an additional €25 (EUR) for the stamp.
Please note that the specific language assistant visa long séjour valant titre de séjour does not allow language assistants to pursue official secondary employment in France.
Please note that visa requirements can change at short notice, and the British Council cannot be held responsible for any changes to the visa process or to the approximate costs listed above which have been given as a guide only. If allocated a placement, you will receive the most up-to-date information for the processes. You should not apply until you have been instructed to do so by the team.
Please note that the French visa process is managed by TLS Contact and not the British Council. As an ELA you will apply for a Long Stay Visa (VLS-TS - visa long séjour valant titre de séjour). You may apply or a visa from early July as the process begins three months before your start date (1st October 2023). Your passport must also be valid for six months after your finish date as an ELA on the 30 April 2024(October 2024) based on French governmental guidelines. Please contact the TLS Contact Centre In the first instance for additional queries and not the British Council.
Posts in France run from 1 October 2023 – 30 April 2024.
When will I start my placement?
Posts in France run from 1 October 2022 – 30 April 2023.
Will there be an induction course?
The relevant académie in France will invite you to an induction course, either at the end of September or in early October. For any training requiring an overnight stay, académies may help financially.
How many hours will I work per week?
Language Assistants in France can expect to work approximately 12 hours per week, with the option in some placements to add up to six hours per week. Please be aware that the number of hours and your specific timetable and working pattern can vary depending on the region and institution that you are allocated to.
How many posts are available in France?
Every year there are approximately 500 posts available in France. Undergraduates will be prioritised if they are participating in the programme as part of a compulsory period abroad. Candidates will be placed on a waiting list if they are not immediately successful in gaining a post.
What type of institution will I be working in?
All placements available in France are in primary and secondary schools.
How much will I be paid?
You should expect to earn €976.40 per month gross (before social security deductions). The net monthly pay is approximately €770-785.Those allocated to Outre-mer will receive about 40% more due to a higher cost of living. You are also entitled to national healthcare.
Please note that our overseas partners and employing institutions are ultimately responsible for setting the salary of language assistants and this amount should therefore be treated as indicative and may be subject to change.
What holidays will I have?
In France the academic calendar runs from September to June. Typically, assistants can expect to receive the same school and national holidays as their institution.
Where can I go in France?
You will be able to pick one region from group A, one region from group B, and then are able to choose any region from any of groups A, B, or C. Please note that you will only be considered for Outre-Mer if Outre-Mer is your first choice.
By selecting a region in a given group you must be open to a placement anywhere within that region. For example, remember that Bordeaux refers to the whole region/académie of Bordeaux and not only the city of Bordeaux. A comments box will be available to add specific reasoning if you have a specific preferred place. Many of the posts are located in rural areas/ small towns and you should keep this in mind when applying